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The editors were impressed when they heard about a bike computer with a battery life of up to 120 hours. At least that's the promise made by Chinese manufacturer Coros for its Dura bike sat nav, which was recently launched on the market. Even the Garmin Edge 1040 with solar panels, which according to the manufacturer should last up to 70 hours and in our own tests has already easily survived 3-4 day trips in the sunshine, could not keep up.
Another impressive fact about the Coros Dura is its favourable price of just 289 euros. Compared to the advanced models from Garmin, Hammerhead and Wahoo, this is a significant saving - apart from the Wahoo Bolt. The bike sat nav also impresses with its low weight of just 97 grams (97.9 g according to our own measurement). This makes it even lighter than the Edge 1040-Moppel (133 g) or the Hammerhead Karoo 3 (118 g).
Coros Dura bike sat nav: the features
When it comes to weight, the question of size and therefore the display immediately arises. According to the manufacturer, the Coros Dura bike sat nav measures 99.5 x 60.8 x 15.7 mm. What is striking about the Dura is that not the entire surface is used for the display, but about a quarter is reserved for the solar panel. As a result, it only has a 2.7-inch display - slightly larger than the handy Garmin Edge 540 and 840, although the Chinese brand Coros promises better visuals thanks to its "memory-in-pixel" technology on the touch display. We will report more on this later in our first test of the Dura bike sat nav.
The Coros Dura can also be operated via a rotary dial on the right-hand side of the device. This also sets it apart from the others in terms of design. Here too, we have already gathered our first impressions of how it can be used to scroll through the menu. The Dura GPS device is also quite slim when viewed from the side and can be attached to a Garmin mount.
The Coros Dura Navi in figures
Battery
- Up to 120 h (without solar)
- With dual frequency up to 70 h (without solar)
- Solar efficiency: 1 hour in direct sunlight generates up to 2 hours of additional driving time
- Estimated charging time: approx. 2 h (15 ℃ - 45 ℃) // approx. 3.5 h (at 0 ℃ - 15 ℃)
- Battery capacity: 960 mAh
Dimensions
- Dimensions: 99.5 x 60.8 x 15.7 mm
- Weight: 97 g
- Bracket: 44 g
- Display: 2.7 inch
- Resolution: 400 x 240 pixel
Connectivity
- External data transmission: Bluetooth (smartphone with COROS app) // WiFi (directly from sat nav)
- Data transmission devices: Bluetooth and ANT+
- Up to 12 devices can be connected (e.g. heart rate monitor, power meter, indoor trainer, speed sensors, cadence sensors, bike radar, shifting systems from Sram or Shimano)
- Auto GPS mode via GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, Beidou, QZSS
Device sensors
- Barometric altimeter
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope (gyroscope)
- Compass
- Temperature sensor
Features
- Data volume: 32 GB
- Water and dust protection to IP67 standard
- Bike Alarm
- Live Tracking/Safety Alerts
- Crash detection
Training
Training Load, Base Fitness, Load Impact (Training Management), FTP Test, Training Load Recommendation, Recovery Timer, Workouts, Training Plans, Activity Training Zone Alerts (HR and Power)
Links to other providers
Strava, Komoot, Ride with GPS, TrainingPeaks, Relive, Final Surge, Decathlon, Adidas Running, Nike Run Club etc.
What is the Coros brand?
The Chinese manufacturer Coros is currently represented on the market with fitness and training watches. "Our goal is to create products that solve problems for athletes - whether it's to help them train, explore the world or simply bring them closer to the sport they already love", explains Coros co-founder Lewis Wu. "Coros Dura is a clear extension of this ethos and is the ultimate companion for adventure and training."
The Coros team gathered feedback from some of the world's best off-road endurance cyclists to develop the Dura bike navigator. Among the experts who shared their experiences were Haley Smith, Cole Paton, Freddy Ovett, Hannah Otto and Amity Rockwell. The Dura Bike sat nav was tested in long-distance races such as the Traka 360 and the Unbound 200, as well as in the tight corners of the Nove Mesto Mountain Bike World Cup. It provided accurate data and reliable navigation, had an impressive battery life and offered all the performance metrics that top athletes need.
First impression of the Coros Dura bike computer
The time between receiving the bike sat nav and now was not enough to write a detailed review. However, we were able to test the Coros Dura in the editorial office and thoroughly scrutinise it on an extended tour.
As with any new device, the first impression was of course that you first have to familiarise yourself with the operation. As Coros has its own menu structure, it takes some time to familiarise yourself with it. However, with the rotary dial on the side and the touch display, you quickly find your way around.
Our tester Sandra praised the good readability of the display. The display is strongly focussed on the route and is shown as a thick line. However, one tester criticised this reduction and missed map data such as contour lines or buildings, as provided by Garmin, for example. However, both testers liked the brightness of the display.
In navigation mode, a dashed line indicates the direction of the actual track if you deviate from the route. This is useful for finding your way back.
Operation
The touchscreen of the Coros bike computer has fewer touchpoints compared to the current Edge devices from Garmin. This may seem a little unusual at first, but you soon get used to it. Many functions can also be operated using the wheel on the side in combination with the button next to it. There is a noticeable click when turning the wheel, but the menu only advances every second time. This can seem a little sluggish at a desk, but it is less relevant on a bike, where you don't have to use your fine motor skills as much as when working at a relaxed desk.
Sandra also reports: "Until now, I have downloaded routes as gpx files and then uploaded them to the Coros app. However, the manufacturer says that a direct connection between Coros and Komoot is possible so that all planned tours can be synchronised automatically. However, I still need to find out exactly how this works."
It is interesting that there is no separate "OFF" button. To switch off the Coros Dura, you must first go to the "System" settings, then navigate to "More settings" and select the option to switch off. However, Coros describes the Dura Navi as an "Always On" device that can perform updates and synchronise in the background.
Apart from that, the battery has a long runtime. We have not yet been able to find out exactly how long it lasts, as Sandra's trips were too short.
Although this is not a novelty (Garmin also offers this function), it is practical: if you have both the Coros sports watch and the Dura Navi and both are connected via the app, the watch can automatically send heart rate data to the Dura as soon as an activity is started. This is a good alternative for those who have forgotten their heart rate strap or don't want to wear it.
An initial summary of the new Coros Dura
For less than 300 euros, the Coros Dura is a favourable alternative to the Garmin Edge 1040 Solar, especially when it comes to battery life. - Sandra Schuberth, TOUR editor
Marc Strucken
Editor
